Softwr

Software · head to head

Microsoft Project vs Sketch

Microsoft Project logo

Microsoft Project

Software

Keep projects organized and on track

From
$10/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sketch logo

Sketch

Software

The digital design toolkit

From
$12/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Microsoft Project performance degrades with large projects over 400 tasks, becoming slow and unstable; Sketch macOS-only for editing, blocking Windows and Linux users from accessing design features
  • They diverge on capability: Microsoft Project covers Gantt charts, Sketch covers Vector editing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Microsoft Project and Sketch actually diverge.

Attributes where Microsoft Project and Sketch differ
AttributeMicrosoft ProjectSketch
Starting price$10/month$12/month
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOSmacOS, Web, iOS, iPad
Founded19752010

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Microsoft Project

  • Gantt charts
  • Resource management
  • Budget tracking
  • Timeline views
  • Task dependencies
  • Critical path
  • Earned value analysis
  • Portfolio management

Only in Sketch

  • Vector editing
  • Symbols & components
  • Prototyping
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Developer handoff
  • Plugins ecosystem
  • Cloud sync
  • Version history

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Microsoft Project

  • Project schedulingnot Sketch
  • Resource allocationnot Sketch
  • Portfolio managementnot Sketch
  • Budget trackingnot Sketch
  • Enterprise project managementnot Sketch

Sketch

  • UI designnot Microsoft Project
  • Mobile app designnot Microsoft Project
  • Web designnot Microsoft Project
  • Design systemsnot Microsoft Project
  • Prototypingnot Microsoft Project

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Microsoft Project

  • Performance degrades with large projects over 400 tasks, becoming slow and unstable
  • Limited Agile methodology support, primarily designed for waterfall project management
  • Proprietary .mpp file format creates compatibility issues on non-Windows systems
  • No offline mode, limiting users without reliable internet connectivity

Sketch

  • macOS-only for editing, blocking Windows and Linux users from accessing design features
  • Real-time collaboration feels less seamless than Figma with occasional sync delays
  • Limited built-in image editing capabilities, requiring external software for bitmap work
  • Subscription required for cloud features and collaboration, losing access if subscription lapses

Pricing, plan by plan

Microsoft Project

$10/month
  • Plan 1$10/month
    • Task and project management
    • Grid views
    • Timeline features
  • Plan 3$30/month
    • Desktop client
    • Resource management
    • Advanced scheduling
  • Plan 5$55/month
    • Portfolio management
    • Demand management
    • Enterprise capabilities

Sketch

$12/month
  • Standard$12/month
    • Real-time collaboration
    • Unlimited documents
    • Unlimited free viewers
  • Professional$24/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • Single Sign-On (SSO)
    • Project archiving
  • Enterprise$44/month
    • Everything in Professional
    • SCIM provisioning
    • BYOK encryption
  • Mac-only License$120/perpetual
    • Native Mac app
    • Offline access
    • Local file saving

Which should you pick?

Choose Microsoft Project if

  • You need gantt charts.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want resource management.
Microsoft Project review

Choose Sketch if

  • You need vector editing.
  • You work on macOS, Web, iOS, iPad.
  • You also want symbols & components.
Sketch review

Questions people ask

Is Microsoft Project or Sketch better?
Neither clearly leads. Microsoft Project starts at $10/month and Sketch at $12/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft Project or Sketch?
Microsoft Project starts at $10/month and Sketch at $12/month.
Does Microsoft Project or Sketch run on more platforms?
Microsoft Project runs on Web, Windows, macOS. Sketch runs on macOS, Web, iOS, iPad.
What is Microsoft Project best used for?
Microsoft Project is most often used for project scheduling, resource allocation, portfolio management, budget tracking. Of those, project scheduling and resource allocation are not what Sketch is typically brought in for.
What can Microsoft Project do that Sketch cannot?
Microsoft Project covers Gantt charts, Resource management, Budget tracking, Timeline views. Sketch covers Vector editing, Symbols & components, Prototyping, Real-time collaboration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Microsoft Project: What are the different Microsoft Project plans and pricing?

Microsoft Project offers Plan 1 at $10/user/month for basic project management, Plan 3 at $30/user/month with desktop client and resource management, and Plan 5 at $55/user/month for enterprise portfolio management. Desktop licenses (2024) start at $679.99 for Standard and $1,129.99 for Professional.

Source
Sketch: Is Sketch available for Windows or Linux?

No. Sketch is macOS-only for the design and prototyping features. Web and mobile apps provide viewing and collaboration, but editing requires macOS 14.0 or later.

Source
Microsoft Project: Does Microsoft Project support Agile methodology?

Microsoft Project was primarily designed for traditional waterfall project management. While it has some Agile features, it is not optimized for Agile workflows compared to dedicated Agile tools like Jira or Monday.com.

Source
Sketch: Does Sketch offer a free trial?

Yes. Sketch provides a 30-day free trial with no credit card required. You can also purchase a one-time Mac-only license for $120 per seat instead of subscribing.

Source
Microsoft Project: Can multiple teams collaborate in real-time on Microsoft Project?

Yes, Microsoft Project for the Web provides real-time collaboration through cloud-based access. However, collaboration is noted as harder compared to modern cloud-native tools due to its file-based architecture.

Source
Sketch: What collaboration features does Sketch include?

Sketch supports real-time collaboration, unlimited document sharing, unlimited viewers, and version history on all paid subscription plans (Standard $12/month, Professional $24/month, Enterprise $44/month).

Source
Sketch: Can I use Sketch offline?

Yes. The one-time Mac-only license ($120) allows you to use Sketch offline and save files locally, but it excludes cloud collaboration and iOS previewing features.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Microsoft Project

More on Sketch

Keep looking

Other head to heads